Distance Education Update

At its February meeting, the Iowa Board of Regents will consider the annual distance education report, which highlights the progress and expansion of a number of programs at Iowa’s public universities. 

The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa collectively served nearly 148,000 credit enrollments in 2024-25, a modest but meaningful uptick from the prior year. Further, the number of online and distance programs available across all three universities has grown from 197 in 2020-21 to 253 in 2024-25.

That expansion reflects the growing needs and expectations of students and helps the Regents Enterprise fill much-needed positions in Iowa’s workforce. All three universities added new programs targeting high-demand workforce fields in the past year. Iowa State launched a Cybersecurity undergraduate certificate and a Master of Digital Health. UNI added an online MBA, two new master's degrees, and several educator endorsement programs tailored to early childhood and special education specialists. UI expanded into Sport and Recreation Management, Health Management and Policy, and Public Health offerings, among others.

Online and other forms of distance education are critical tools that provide education opportunities to Iowans. The platforms continue to serve both students seeking flexibility and those in rural and urban communities seeking access to advancement within their local regions.

That geographic reach is important. Every one of Iowa's 99 counties has residents enrolled in distance education through the Regent universities. In western Iowa, the Western Iowa Regents Resource Center helped more than 2,500 Iowans enroll in distance programs in 2024-25 alone. 

Distance education at Iowa’s public universities continues the Board’s mission to provide quality, affordable education for Iowans, wherever they might live.